Tight coupling of human walking and a four-legged walking-device inspired by insect six-legged locomotion

A major challenge in designing technologies that are intended to work in direct contact with humans lies in achieving maximal coordination between the human and the technological device (robot), while minimizing interference with or restraint of the normal human behavior. This is particularly relevant to systems designed to assist in human walking. Our current study presents an innovative bio-inspired approach to ensure a robust and consistent coupling between a human and a four-legged walking-device, to assist in walking-related challenges. These can be, for example, cases of limited stability during walking (due to old age, or any walking-related pathology), a need for excessive load-carrying while walking, and more. We utilize ample previous knowledge of six-legged (insect) locomotion, its major advantages and related mechanisms, together with recent advances in monitoring human walking gait. We present a detailed computer simulation of the coordinated motion of a four-legged robotic device, tightly coupled to the movement of a walking human (a coupled human-robotic six-legged walking system). The simulated technology ensures at all times a consistent, stable, and efficient coupled walking gait. The robotic device maintains the coupling both during normal walking and during perturbations such as induced by a challenging terrain or simply by human instability. Preliminary tests of the technology using a physical model have demonstrated the system's ability to operate in the real world. Most importantly, in all instances, the device and the technology developed are totally transparent to the user, in the sense that they require no dedicated change or adjustment of the human's on-going walking behavior.